Now THIS should provide for some interesting feedback....
Let's have a chat about film. And more specifically, films that feature GREAT slabs of classic rock. We're not talking about movies that happen to have some catchy tunes driving through the boring parts. No, to qualify for this competition the movies MUST include several (more than two) classic rock cuts from 60s, 70s or 80s, and the music must be somewhat central to the movie itself. I know that not everyone will like these parameters, but get over it. Them's the rules.
Because of the above rule, movies like "Spinal Tap" don't qualify. Great rock movie, but not the point of this post. But stuff from even the 80s counts, such as The Wedding Singer.
Likely early favorites, among others:
Forrest Gump
Remember the Titans
The Breakfast Club
Boogie Nights
School of Rock
Dazed and Confused
Hi-Fidelity
Now, i'm going to pick MY favorite and break it down for y'all.
Without question, the best movie featuring "pre-suck" music is......
APOCALYPSE NOW.
The actual classic rock songs in the movie are few -- much of the movie is atmospheric stuff that gives it the feel of being fully stoned. But fundamentally, this song wins hands down simply by having the Doors "The End" and "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix. Those two songs, among the best EVER recorded in rock and roll, qualify the movie's tunes for the winner's circle. The inclusion of Flash Cadillac's "Susi Q" (made famous by Creedence Clearwater Revival, and the Stones' "Satisfaction" is just icing on this blue ribbon cake. And then to have Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" featured prominently....holy heavy metal, batman! The piece deserves an honory place on the rock wall of fame.
But frankly, I was completely sold on the film with the inclusion of "The End".... one of my top five faves of all-time. No way i'm voting against that song.
Other movies have numerically more great tunes, but the sheer perfection in joining film and music vision make this the ONE for the AGES.
I have to admit to having a hard time passing over Forrest Gump. Any disc featuring Wicked Wilson Pickett and Buffalo Springfield (along with the Doors, Aretha, the Four Tops, et al)deserve sclose inspection and consideration.
Also can't pass up a flag salute to School of Rock, which features another one of my top five fave cuts: "Immigrant Song" by the mighty Zeppelin. Nice.....
But for the record, the closest second to Apocalypse for me is Platoon (and i'm not favoring war movies, just to be clear). "White Rabbit", "Tracks of my Tears", "Respect", "Hello, I Love You" and "Dock of the Bay" might seem to outweigh Apocalypse Now's soundtrack. But folks, the sheer musical magnitude of the three key cuts in Coppola's film blow everything else away. I won't criticize anyone who picks Platoon as number one, however. A fair nod indeed....
What say you?
The God of Thunder is with you always....RIP
G.O.T
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Beyond the ones already mentioned, Purple Rain. For now, and forever. No, not classic rock in the "classic" sense, but it is a classic rock and roll movie.
ReplyDeleteHonorable mentions to Wayne's World (including Wayne's World II, even though it really sucked) and Detroit Rock City - both because of their plot and the soundtracks.
Although you're anti-post-1990 music, Singles also has to rank up there because of the glimpse into the Seattle grunge movement.
Well said TVW. Agree. Especially on the suck of WW II (not the war, although it did too, but a justifiable one....)
ReplyDeleteA pending post will address "pre-suck" music that sucks, and "post-suck" music that rocked.
GOT
I would like to throw in "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", just because it will annoy you. Deal.
ReplyDeleteUh... never heard of it....
ReplyDeleteSo here's my question of the evening - why is 1990 the indicator of music that sucked? I will shout from the Grand Canyon that there is a dearth of recent music that will stand the test of time, but for every Britney Spears/Miley Cyrus hit, wasn't there equal cheese from back in the day? Certainly The Monkees, for instance, weren't taken that seriously (minus the whole Jimi Hendrix opening on their tour thing).
ReplyDeleteAlso, totally forgot about Almost Famous and Easy Rider. Or for a mix of pre-suck and post-suck songs, the soundtracks for Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums.
Well, it's arbitrary. Great stuff happened in the 90s (Rage Against the Machine being the best of the best) and beyond.
ReplyDeleteI just had to have a limiter. I could have gone 60s/70s, but that would have seemed a bit contrived, or as though i just live too much in the past. And i'm frankly a hell of a lot more open minded about stuff than most would think.
And again, yes, there was Suck music in my Pre-Suck decades. I'll be drawing special attention to that in future posts.
Thanks TVW.
OMG to leave Almost Famous off of your list is completely ridiculous and makes me question your title of G.O.T. (A title you gave yourself, I might add)
ReplyDeleteNot only was it a movie about "rawk" but it has an awesome soundtrack with an awesome mix of rawk gawds, but the score, THE SCORE was composed by Nancy Wilson of Heart, a rawk gawdess herself.
I'm not arguing with any of the soundtracks you did list, but to leave that one off is FAIL.
Let's be clear toots. I said the other films were simply likely contenders, as to be anticipated by readers offering their points of view. Not an exhaustive list or a recommended list. It was intended only to set the stage for my recommendation of the clear and present winner, "A Now". And so far, no one has offered a shred of argument to suggest i'm wrong.
ReplyDeleteCertainly no diss on Nancy, who is truly a gawdess and puts most male rockers to shame.
But as always, i truly appreciate the feedback. Rock lives, even through different glasses. Go in peace....
G.O.T.
I gotta go with Detroit Rock City- Great flick. I had a lot of Deja Vue moments from that movie
ReplyDeleteMore American Graffiti (the soundtrack to the sequel, not the second album from the original).
ReplyDeleteFour sides of pure classics!